Local first-time buyers given the chance to get on the property ladder as housing development deal is sealed
A housing development deal between leading housebuilder Barratt Homes, Nailsea Town Council and two other landowners was sealed yesterday, Wednesday 23 June 2021. Work is anticipated to start later this summer on Parish Brook, a new development of 171 high-quality houses on the land west of Engine Lane, Nailsea, offering much-needed housing to local buyers.
Providing housing for local young people has been the Council’s highest priority in this development with Barratt Homes. Parish Brook is one of just a few developments in the South West to include a scheme allocating a proportion of homes to local people. Mike Bird, Chair of Nailsea Town Council, said:
“A fundamental part of the project is to attract young people and families back to our town. They are valuable to our local economy, as well as community life. The saddest part has been the delay National Grid has caused in the delivery of these houses – they should have been built years ago.”
The three landowners agreed to sell the land to Barratt Homes back in December 2015, but unforeseen complications due to work being carried out by National Grid, has caused long delays. The setback has caused much controversy amongst residents, with pressure being put on the Council for the deal to be re-negotiated. All three landowners have a joint contract with Barratt Homes with legal, planning and professional costs to be considered. Any re-negotiations carried a risk of the deal collapsing completely, endangering the Nailsea buyers scheme which is fundamental to this development and the wider plan for housing in Nailsea. The Council are following legal advice and pursuing a case to seek compensation from National Grid.
Parish Brook will offer a range of two, three and four-bedroomed high-quality housing, with a proportion being prioritised for local buyers. There will also be 51 affordable homes and a selection of one-bedroom maisonettes to encourage first-time buyers to get onto the property ladder. The site will include a dedicated public open space, child-friendly play areas and a broad range of sustainability measures including protected trees and hedgerows, a new meadow grassland and sustainable drainage ponds. A dedicated cycle path will connect the development with Engine Lane and the wider Sustrans cycle network, and a selection of homes will have electric car charge points.
A local resident said: “Having grown up in Nailsea, I’m keen to get on the property ladder but have only been able to afford to rent until now. Engine Lane is a great location to live and I’m excited about the thought of being able to own my own house in my town.”
The money the Council receive from the sale of the land will be ploughed back into the town. The Council plan to hold a number of resident consultations later on in the year to share ideas and opinions about how the money will be invested. Barratt Homes have also donated £400,000 to Nailsea Rugby Club towards club house renovations, new changing facilities and alternative pitch locations.
Mike Bird, Chair of Nailsea Town Council said: “We are really pleased that the deal has been sealed on this important development for the town and its young people. The Nailsea buyers scheme is fundamental to the Council’s long-term plans to provide 1,000 additional houses in Nailsea.”
Andrea Pilgrim, sales director for Barratt Homes’ Bristol division, said: “We are very pleased that this key milestone has been reached in our plans to bring much-needed, high quality new homes to Nailsea, alongside significant investment in wider community and sustainability initiatives. It’s important to us to support the creation of a balanced and thriving community at Parish Brook so we are committing to allocating a proportion of the homes to people who have worked or lived in the local area in the past two years, with the broader mix of homes suitable for a range of people from first-time buyers to families to downsizers.”